Loving the job

If the Jaguars were too trade four Tim Teabow there wood be even more loses on the horizan. When are peeple going to except NFL coaches know a bit more then the avarage fan? Perhapes yew can explane this too them in plane englesh.

John: For those who didn’t read Thursday’s Ozone – and with Wikipedia telling me there are 7.049 billion people in the world, more did not than did – we’ll have a quick review (this won’t be on the final exam). I answered a question from Tony from somewhere in the Midwest. Tony’s point was that the Jaguars seemed far too happy after suffering a “lose” in Green Bay, and that no team should be happy with a “lose.” In expectedly juvenile fashion, I responded that the Jaguars weren’t happy with the lose and that lossing never was acceptable. Because O-Zone readers are as mature as me, there were many, many version’s of TJ’s emails in the inbox Thursday. As much as I’m tempted to beat the joke into the ground, we’ll move on from this thread now, because, frankly, any joke that pokes fun at a reader’s error – or makes a mockery of our language – is, as you might imagine, unexceptable.

Marcus from Jacksonville:

You're right...a lose is a lose is a lose...and the Jags can't afford another lose this weekend. They need to put together a good game plan and figure out a way to get a won!

John: All right. That’s it. No more.

Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL:

You knock people who reference Tim or David like Blaine is good. I'm pretty sure you've watched Blaine's body of NFL work; it's a few bright moments amongst a sea of disaster. When you lead the worst offense in the league for your whole career, why is it absurd to think someone else could do better?

John: It’s not absurd at all. Clearly, there are quarterbacks who could have done better in the first 20 games of his career. That’s not the question. The question is whether he’s the right guy moving forward, and that’s what this season is going to be about. I haven’t knocked people who wonder if he’s good. I’ve simply said it’s too early to know if he will be good, and there’s a huge difference.

Armand from Jacksonville:

Thanks for being honest and truthful about the Jags. You’re doing a great job.

John: And you, dad, a fine judge of senior writers.

Lee from Duval County, FL:

Watching Mike and Mike as they discuss whether Bama would beat the Jaguars? It's like a bad dream, but I'm still all in...

John: It’s not a bad dream. It’s a silly topic. I credit Mike Golic with this: he said it’s so far off base as to be ludicrous and he’s right. The best college team wouldn’t win a game in the NFL, and it wouldn’t be close. The NFL is a league of grown men and college football players are for the most part still maturing physically. Then, there’s the basic logic of the situation. The best college football teams have players who don’t make it in the NFL. NFL teams do not have players who have not made it in the NFL. Finally, as hard as it is to see on television, the two games are vastly different games. Stand on the sidelines of a college game one day and an NFL game the next and you are struck by the difference in the sound of the collisions. College football is a great sport, but college football teams can’t compete in professional football.

Michael from Port Orange, FL:

So Mike Thomas joins the long list of Jaguar players who will be players for other NFL teams. If we needed to trade a receiver, they should have traded Marcedes (No Hands) Lewis and found another good blocking tight end who can catch. Concerning Tebow, his fans overlook that Denver traded him and the Jets really aren't using him. If we got him, we might be able use him as a running back or a tight end. The question is would the team be able to survive the incessant screams to make him the quarterback.

John: Yes, Thomas joins the list of former Jaguars players playing for other teams. That puts the Jaguars in an exclusive group of 32 teams in that situation. Players are released and traded and sign with other teams all of the time. And yes, the Jaguars could trade Lewis and find another good blocking tight end who can catch, but good luck finding one who is available and blocks as well. I supposed they could go the Really Good Blocking Tight End store. And . . . and . . what else did you say?

I just took a look at the Jaguars roster and saw that 22 players have their contract expiring after this season. That seems like a lot. What are your thoughts, who do you think will be priorities to resign and do you expect any resignings prior to the end of the season?

John: It does seem like a lot, but most teams have 12-18 contracts expiring each year because most teams have a lot of bottom-of-the-roster players playing on one-year contracts. Players who are signed mid-season often fit into this category, as do young players who are signed to go on practice squads before being moved to active rosters. You really don’t want an entire team of players on big-bonus, multi-year deals. It leaves too much potential dead money on the salary cap. It’s a little early to tell who will be priorities to re-sign. I think right now the major focus would be cornerback Derek Cox, but I’m not sure anything happens on any free agent before the end of the season. A lot of organizations take the approach of re-signing players only in the offseason and that could be a part of the Jaguars’ philosophy going forward.

Hugo from Las Cruces, NM:

Is it wrong for me to be enjoying the uncertainty of this developing team? Every week I have no idea what to expect and I freaking love it. I feel like if we were a perennial playoff team the drama would be gone until the postseason. Please tell me I'm not insane.

John: You’re not insane, though I can’t say this season is more enjoyable than a postseason team. A winning team building toward something is pretty exciting, and darned enjoyable. But to sit back and enjoy the development – no, there’s nothing wrong with that, and it is enjoyable in itself. What needs to happen is some victories to go along with it. Then, it’s enjoyable without anyone questioning their sanity.

John from Houston, TX:

Reading all the love for Blaine Gabbert makes me wonder if you ever air the other side. Yes, he is a great kid. Yes, he has the size and arm strength, but he isn't in command of the team and he isn't going to win games. He'll get better with time, but the question is, “Will he ever get great?” Right now, I just don't see it.

John: We discuss the other side all of the time. What we try to do here is present the entire argument. Obviously, Gabbert hasn’t performed at a high level often enough in his career. Obviously, he has to get better. But the points you make aren’t facts or analysis. It’s your opinion, and you’re entitled to it, but to say he isn’t in command of the team and isn’t going to win games can’t be proven or disproven yet. The Gabbert story is playing out, and we’re following along and providing the best analysis we can, but your statement writes him off and it’s not time for that.

Dane from Jacksonville:

What is your analysis on Chris Prosinski lately? It looks like he has been playing better, but do you think he will challenge Dwight Lowery for the starting role once he's back to full health?

John: Prosinski has played better the last two weeks while starting for Lowery. Props to him. Lowery will start when healthy.

John from Jacksonville:

Just an observation. Assuming the Jaguars continue their improved play from last Sunday, they can triple their total wins for the season in a matter of five days. That would help erase a dismal start to the season and provide some "hope" in the second half of this season and into next season.

John: Yup.

Steve from Jacksonville:

What kind of time off will the players get during the bye week and what kind of time off will you get?

John: Some days, I love this job.

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